Market Cleanup Progressing Slowly But Surely, Officials Say

Cleaning up Hubcap Heaven is taking more than the expected six months, but Broward County officials aren`t complaining.

``As long as the board can see some progress, I think we can be sympathetic,`` said George C. Gatterer Jr., land-use administrator for the county.

Gatterer submitted a progress report Thursday to the Broward County Building and Zoning Enforcement Division on efforts the owners of Hubcap Heaven have made in cleaning up the outdoor market.

``They`re still working on the construction of two buildings, and we`re mostly concerned with that,`` Gatterer said. ``One of the buildings will be used to house some tires, rims and chains.``

A year ago, owners of the open-air hubcap and garden supply market were cited for six zoning violations. County officials ordered John P. Shale, Gloria Gilbert and Ann LaRoche, the owners of the property on which Hubcap Heaven is located, to remove outside debris, auto parts, all plants and all unapproved structures and merchandise.

``This has been going on for 10 or 11 years,`` Gatterer said. ``John means well. He`s trying and we`re not going to be hard-nosed about it.``

Gatterer said as long as Shale continues to make an effort, the board won`t impose a daily fine for each of the violations.

Hubcap Heaven is in the 3400 block of South State Road 7.

But while county officials seemed satisfied with the progress, Don Faust, president of the South Broward Community Action Group, said members of the association plan to step up their efforts to get the place cleaned up or demolished.

``Shale will never change,`` Faust said. ``He has made very minor progress. The guy is either going to straighten up his act or leave. We have no intention of backing off.``

The South Broward Community Action Group represents 1,200 homeowners in the unincorporated area along State Road 7 between the Dade-Broward line and Pembroke Road.